Bradford launches NPR Growth Strategy

Bradford Council has unveiled its Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) Growth Strategy at the international property conference, MIPIM. Focussing on skills and education and unlocking growth at the Southern Gateway to the city, the NPR Growth Strategy covers six key areas. According to the strategy:

• A better-connected Bradford is an opportunity to create a more productive economic system across the whole of the North
• NPR in the city centre will act as a catalyst for new residential and commercial development and improved local infrastructure, delivered with a partnership-led approach
• NPR is about connecting people to opportunities, improving skills and building Bradford’s business base after it was named by Barclays as the best place to start a business in 2018
• NPR will be most effective if it is integrated with HS2 and local transport routes. It is not a choice of either or, investment in all three is essential
• High speed rail in Bradford city centre has the potential to transform Bradford’s brand, increasing its attractiveness as a place to visit, live, study and invest
• Ensuring Bradford has the best environment for growth, demonstrating how the Council and partners are putting in place the right delivery mechanisms, fostering a collaborative approach between the public and private sector and by exploring innovative approaches to funding

Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, leader of Bradford Council and chair of West Yorkshire Combined Authority, is sharing the strategy and the opportunities it will present to developers, investors and businesses looking to locate in the District. Cllr Hinchcliffe said: “Since launching our Next Stop Bradford campaign to bring NPR to Bradford city centre, we have ensured Bradford’s voice is at the heart of the NPR debate. Transport for the North’s recent launch of their Strategic Transport Plan cemented our position on the network with a new line between Leeds and Manchester, via Bradford. This strategy is the next phase in our efforts to ensure Bradford is connected to a high-speed rail and it defines the economic opportunity for investors, developers and businesses as well as the opportunities it will bring to people living and working in the District.”